Introvert or Extrovert?

About twenty percent of people are born with this “highly sensitive” trait, which may also manifest itself as inhibitedness, or even neuroticism. The trait can be seen in some children who are “slow to warm up” in a situation but eventually join in, need little punishment, cry easily, ask unusual questions or have especially deep thoughts.

...

Stony Brook researchers Elaine and Arthur Aron had already found that those with a highly sensitive temperament are, compared to others, more bothered by noise and crowds, more affected by caffeine, and more easily startled. That is, the trait is about sensitivity. Further, they proposed that this is all part of a “sensory processing sensitivity.” In other words, the simple sensory sensitivity to noise, pain, or caffeine is a side effect of an inborn preference to pay more attention to experiences.

Hints of this processing sensitivity were found in the observation that, compared to the majority of people, the sensitive ones among us tend to prefer to take longer to make decisions, are more conscientious, need more time to themselves in order to reflect, and are more easily bored with small talk. However, the theory that what created the difference was processing rather than mere sensitivity needed to be validated.

Click to expand...

digsbe said:

I've taken the Myers Briggs test and it said I was an introvert.

Click to expand...

You are:

* moderately expressed introvert
* slightly expressed intuitive personality
* slightly expressed thinking personality
* slightly expressed judging personality

Click to expand...

Catz Part Deux said:

In MBTI, I'm ENFP. Which means I'm an introverted extrovert. Figure that one out.

Click to expand...

Like all the Artisans, Crafters are people who love action, and who know instinctively that their activities are more enjoyable, and more effective, if done impulsively, spontaneously, subject to no schedules or standards but their own. In a sense, Crafters do not work with their tools, but play with them when the urge strikes them. Crafters also seek fun and games on impulse, looking for any opportunity, and just because they feel like it, to play with their various toys: cars, motorcycles, boats, dune-buggies, hunting rifles, fishing tackle, scuba gear, and on and on. They thrive on excitement, particularly the rush of speed-racing, water-skiing, surfing. And Crafters are fearless in their play, exposing themselves to danger again and again, even despite frequent injury. Of all the types, Crafters are most likely to be risk takers, pitting themselves, or their technique, against chance or odds.

Crafters can be wonderfully generous and loyal to their friends, teammates, and sidekicks, often giving up their evenings or weekends to help with building projects or mechanical repairs-house remodeling, for example, or working on cars or boats. On the other hand, they can be fiercely insubordinate to those in authority, seeing rules and regulations as unnecessarily confining. Crafters will not usually go against regulations openly, but will simply ignore them. More than anything, Crafters want to be free to do their own thing, and they are proud of their ability to do it with an artist's skill.

Click to expand...

Crafters are hard to get to know. Perhaps this is because they tend to communicate through action, and show little interest in developing language skills. Their lack of expressiveness can isolate them at school and on the job, and even though they hang around with their own kind in play, they let their actions speak for them, and their actual conversation is sparse and brief.

Click to expand...

Gardener said:

I'm an INTJ

Click to expand...

inhibitedness, or even neuroticism. The trait can be seen in some children who are “slow to warm up” in a situation but eventually join in, need little punishment, cry easily, ask unusual questions or have especially deep thoughts.

Click to expand...

Sanitas said:

I think we are the same.

Click to expand...

1984 said:

When I was a teenager, I was the very definition of an extrovert; outgoing, always the center of attention, a very instinctual thinker, very sharp; as I grew older, I became the very definition of an introvert; shy, contemplative, easily startled, tendency to over-think things.

Very strange.

Click to expand...

1069 said:

Me, too. Very similar pattern here.
As a teen and a young woman, I alternated between being almost manically social and being a recluse. I'd party for a month straight, and then hide in my house and refuse to see anyone or answer the phone for a month.

I know what happened; the depression and anxiety disorder that manifested periodically when I was younger are much more constant now.
On the bright side, the lows are not as low as they used to be.
The highs are also not as high, but it's a worthwhile trade-off.

Click to expand...

Dav said:

I find this to be fascinating:

Researchers Find Differences In How The Brains Of Some Individuals Process The World Around Them

It refers to introverts as "highly sensitive", and says they make up one fifth of the population:



Just a few excerpts; it goes on to say that the highly sensitive had more brain activity answering a question, but took longer to answer.

The whole thing sounds as if it is personally describing me. I'm pretty much as introverted as someone could possibly be. I suspect that a political debate site would have more introverts than the general population, since it would attract deep thinkers.

So anyways: are you an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in between?

Click to expand...

Harry Guerrilla said:

I took an online Myers Briggs, on one I come up as INTJ and on the other it's INTP.

Click to expand...

Regicollis said:

I am definitely an introvert. I've taken a Myers-Briggs test several times online and usually I get the result INTP.

I'm also a highly sensitive person and basically I fit the description perfectly.

In short; I'm terrible at practical stuff and getting things done but I'm really good at abstract thinking and analysis.

But since this is a political forum I think it would be in place to discuss the way society perceives introversion/extroversion. I think introverts are getting a bad deal in current society where all ideals and role models are centred around extroverts. People are praised and loved for being outgoing, open etc. while the need to be alone is seen as illegitimate.

If it was just in the media these extroversion-centric ideals were being upheld the problem would be limited but unfortunately the one-eyed holding people to an extrovert standard has become extremely prevalent in the job market. Just read any job offer these days and you'll see what I mean. Whatever the employer is seeking a sales assistant or a lawyer they always write that they want someone outgoing and good at performing under stressful conditions. This leaves out a huge part of the population who are naturally introverts. Wouldn't the economy benefit from more realistic and inclusive ideal that also valued introvert traits like being able to concentrate deeply, being a little cautious around strangers and little desire to dominate over peers?

Click to expand...

emdash said:

I just took two and got INTJ twice but I used to always get ISTP. Neither one sounds much like me. I think I'm actually either INTP or ISTJ.

Click to expand...

Harry Guerrilla said:

It's a baseline, I think you need to review the specific categories and the underlying traits of each letter value to determine your closest fit.

Click to expand...

Harry Guerrilla said:

Try to be as objective and honest with yourself as possible.

Click to expand...

emdash said:

Yeah. As soon as I can convince myself it'll be worth the effort.

Click to expand...

emdash said:

I wasn't going to until you said that!

Click to expand...

Harry Guerrilla said:

It just confirms how awesome you are. :2razz:
That's why these tests are necessary. :mrgreen:

Click to expand...